Travel Guide: Santiago
Summary
Chile's capital and largest city. Santiago is surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast mountains, which give the city an incredible atmostphere. The city is also amidst wine regions, so visiting vineyards and wine tasting is easy to do. During Summer in North America, Chile has their Winter and many ski resorts are accessible from Santiago. We liked how Santiago shut down it's biggest streets on Sunday, so that runners and bikers could use the road—it feels like a city-wide running event every weekend. We had experienced the same thing in Montevideo, Uruguay one week earlier when they shut down one of their largest streets on Sunday—every city should do this!
Food & Drink
Top Restaurants
- Boragó • Number 38 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List (2021). Boragó is a sustainable restaurant that is rooted in Mapuche culture. Chef Rodolfo Guzmán focuses on Chilean produce transported from farm or desert to fork and changes the menu with the seasons.
- Demencia Gastrobar • The latest venture from Benjamín Nast (DePatio Restaurant) includes signature cocktails and creative dishes that Nast is known for (Dok&Cheese, Sweetbreads, and Albacore Schnitzel).
- Azotea Matilde • Incredible patio restaurant with views of the mountains and nearby Cerro San Cristóbal park. Food and cocktails are well made.
Top Bars
- Nkiru Bar • A Nikkei inspired bar covered in photos of legendary rappers such as Biggie and Snoop Dogg. Make sure to order the Thug Passion if you’re a Tupac fan.
- Lolita Jones • Modern Mexican and Latin American drinking and dining in a beautifully designed open concept space.
- Prima Bar • An elegant basement bar using carefully-sourced ingredients from throughout Chile to make their signature cocktails such as the Prima Sour and Apple Whiskey.
Markets
- Mercado Central • Santiago’s most famous market. Go here for the city’s best seafood, wines, meat and more. Shellfish and Chilean pisco sour are definitely worth trying.
- Patio Bellavista • In the heart of the artistic neighborhood, Bellavista. This market has characteristics of an outdoor mall with a plethora of food, drink and patio options. It's interesting to see, but may not be for everyone.
- Pueblito Los Domínicos • An artisan market located in the park of the same name. This market is packed with shops and stalls, primarily selling locally-made crafts & goods.
Other Food & Drink
Other Food • Restaurante 040 (hidden in a hotel in Santiago’s Bellavista neighbourhood with 12-course tasting menu & wine pairings), Ambrosia, Ambrosia Bistro (Ambrosia's smaller venue in the city’s Providencia neighbourhood), Osaka, De Patio
Other Drinks • Sarita Colonia, Bar La Providencia, Bar Valdivia
Coffee Shops • Singular Coffee Roasters, Porta Cafe and Wonderland Cafe
Activities & Attractions
Top Activities
- Day Trip to Valparaíso • A vibrant and picturesque port city with a lot of Chilean cultural history. Less than an hour drive from Santiago, it's possible to do a day trip—although it's worth staying longer. Known for its steep funiculars, colorful clifftop homes, and La Sebastiana, the quirky former residence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour • The closest Chilean wine region to Santiago (1hr). The renowned red wines and vineyards, beautiful scenery and Chilean hospitality make this region a must for wine connoisseurs. If you are looking for an elevated experience, book a tour at the premium vineyard of Don Melchoir—you won't regret it!
- Day Trip to Los Andes • Located one hour from Santiago, this beautiful town is the perfect Andes launchpad for hikers, back-packers and adventure seekers.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS (SITES, PARKS, ETC.)
Sites • Cementerio General (the largest cemetery in Latin America), La Moneda Palace (the stately office of Chile’s President), Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral
Parks • Cerro San Cristóbal, Parque Forestal, Bicentenario Park, Parque Balmaceda, Parque Fluvial
Other Activities • Aventura Park in Cerro San Cristóbal (adventure park featuring zip lines, rope courses & a suspension bridge) with views across the city, Santiago Cable Car atop Cerro San Cristóbal (4km roundtrip is 15 minutes), National Museum of Natural History, Chilean National Zoo, visit the ski resort of Valle Nevado.
Stay
AREAS/NEIGHBOURHOODS
Alonso de Córdova & Los Condes, Bellas Artes & Lastarria, Barrio Italia